Wavelength-Tunable Infrared Metamaterial by Tailoring Magnetic Resonance Condition with VO2 Phase Transition

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a wavelength-tunable infrared metamaterial utilizing VO2 phase transition, achieving significant resonance wavelength shifts through magnetic resonance excitation, with potential applications in active optical and thermal devices.

Contribution

It introduces a novel design of a tunable infrared metamaterial exploiting VO2 phase change to control magnetic resonance conditions.

Findings

Resonance wavelength shifts from 10.9 um to 15.1 um across phase transition.

Achieves 38.5% tunability in resonance wavelength.

Elucidates physical mechanism via electromagnetic field distribution.

Abstract

In this work, we report the design of a wavelength-tunable infrared metamaterial by exciting magnetic resonance with phase transition of vanadium dioxide (VO2). Numerical simulation shows a broad absorption peak at the wavelength of 10.9 um when VO2 is a metal, but it shifts to 15.1 um when VO2 changes to dielectric phase below its phase transition temperature of 68degC. The large tunability of 38.5% in the resonance wavelength stems from the different excitation conditions of magnetic resonance assisted by plasmon in metallic VO2 but optical phonons in dielectric VO2. The physical mechanism is elucidated with the aid of electromagnetic field distribution at the resonance wavelengths. A hybrid magnetic resonance mode due to plasmon-phonon coupling is also discussed. The results here would be beneficial for active control in novel electronic, optical and thermal devices.